Electric display sign



Feb, 3. 1925.

F. A. L UND ELECTRIC DISPLAY' SIGNv Filed' Aug. 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. M V

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Feb. 3. 1925. 1,525,309

F. A. LUND ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN Filed Aug. `1, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

FRED A. LUND, OIF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN.

Application filed August i, 1924.. Serial No. 729,551.

To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that FRED A. L u1u, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of rl`exas, has invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Display Signs, of which the following is a specification.

It is the purpose of the presentinvention to provide, in a display sign, a construction particularly adapted for use in show windows and the like for advertising.

Another purpose is to provide a. display sign which is portable and` can be located in any portion of a show window found convenient for displaying advertisements, the construction including a plurality of sets of letters, which are small or of various sizes whereby extensive advertisements may be on display.

Still another purpose is the provision of a frame including a rabbet for the reception of two sections of glass between which the advertisement made up of letters may be arranged, the inner face of the inner glass section being colored, in conjunction with means for exerting pressure upon the two glass sections to hold the letters in position after the advertisement has been made up.

A further purpose is the provision of means for permitting, the glass sections to be removed so as'to permit the advertisement between the glass sections to be changed.

A still further purpose is the provision of a display sign including a frame with means on the interior thereof to support an electric l bulb for lighting the interior whereby the advertisement will stand out at night as well as in the day time, the inner surface of the frame being hightly glazed, polished or otherwise treated in order to constitute reiecting means for the light.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no waylilnitative and that, while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modifications of detail and desired proportions may be.` made in the apparatus according to the circumstances.V

The invent-ion comprises further features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the im, proved display sign construction in accordance with ,the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view on line 3 3 ofFigure l.

Figure 4 is a face view of the frame with the beading or molding frame removed, showing the glass holding cleats engaging the loops of the main frame.

Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of the casing l, showing the glass sect-ions 6 and 7, the retaining cleat la and the block l5, and showing the reinforcing metal strip for the cleat to retain the block against the glass section.

Figure 6 is a detail view of a. portion of the wood fra-me 2 andthe cleat 14e with the reinforcing metal strip and showing the wedge 16. y

Referring to the drawings, l designates a frame which may be of any suitable size or shape and constructed of any suitable sheet .me-tal, preferably tin or sheet aluminum. The frame is preferably rectangular, the exterior of which may be painted or otherwise decorated, and secured to the sides and ends of the sheet metal frame adjacent the forward edges is a. wooden frame 2. Suitable screws 3 secure the wooden frame in position. The end portions of the sides and ends of the wooden frame are mitered, as shown at 4;. The wooden frame has a rabbet y5 for th-e reception and support of two sections of glass, an inner sect-ione the inner face of which is painted or otherwise Colored, preferably white) and an outcrplain section 7.

Some suitable instrument may be used to cut-guide lines 8 in the painted surface of the bottom section of the glass to act as guides for arranging the letters 9 of the advertisement. Any number of guide lines may be employed and it is also obvious that the main frame maybe of any size. In fact, it may be of such size to be moved from one place to another in a show window or it may be made relatively large and capable of occupying but one position in a show window. In this latter case, a number of advertisements may be disclosed by the present form of display sign. In fact, the largerV the glass, the more advertisements may be displayed.

The bottom rail of the wooden frame and the lower wall of the sheet metal main frame have registering notches or cut-away portions 10 and 11 to permit of the reception of the lingers to permit the removal or' one or both of the glass sections.

Secured to the wooden trame, as at 12, are U-shaped retaining loops or holders 13 which project outwardly from the wooden fra-me for the reception of the ends of the wooden cleats or glass retaining bars 1a. These cleats or bars are disposed adjacent the longitudinal rails of the wooden frame, and carried by certain ot their faces are blocks 15 which are elongated and act to bear upon the out-er glass section at locations adjacent its upper and lower edges, thereby exercising continuous pressure ot one glass section toward the other i'or the purpose of frictionally retaining the letters forming the advertisement in place. r1`he letters may be made oi any suitable material, preferably pasteboard or other liber or the like, non-transparent so that the letters will ystand out prominently when the inte-rior ot the main 'frame is illuminated.

ln order to insure maintaining a constant pressure oi the blocks on the cleats upon the glass sections, suitable uf'edges 1G may be insert/ed between the ends of the cleats and the outer walls ot' the retaining loops or holders. The removal of these wedges will permit the cleats to be removed and the glass sections may be subsequently removed.

A molding frame 17 constructed of any suitable metal, preferably sheet copper or the like, is provided to engage around the margin ot the main frame, acting to cover the retaining loops or holders and to cover the cleats. This molding frame is beveled and of the shape in cross section shown in Figures 2 and 3. This molding frame is secured to the main frame by means of screws 18.

A suitable porcelain socket 19 is mounted on the upper wall or the main traine for the reception of an electric light bulb 21 and secured upon the outer face of the top ot the main trame is a similar socket 2O which is adapted to receive the usual plug (not shown) which may be connected by a. wire (not shown) with the source oi' electrical supply. The two .sockets are electrically connected, as at 22, there being suitable screws 23 passing through the top or the main frame and through ears of the sockets to held the sockets in position.

ln order to insure pressure of the blocks 15 on the glass sections 6 and 7, metal reintorcing spring strips 2li are secured by bolts 25 to the cleats 14. The ends of the metal reinforcing spring strips provide a steady pressure on the cleats and have their terminals overbent, as at 26, to overlie the ends of the cleats 111-.

A suitable woo-den frame 2,7 orl an ornamental character is provided. This frame is rabbeted, as shown, to engage over the molding trame 17. The wooden frame 27 may have any ornamental shapeand be provided with a wooden veneering, such as quartered oak, mahogany kor the like. The surface of the veneering may be highly polished so as to present :1 -'very neat appearance.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. A display sign comprising a main irame, an auxiliary trame secured therein adjacent its Aforward margin and provided with a rabbet, af pair ot' glass sections enga ging said rabbet, outstanding retaining loops on the auxiliary trame, cleats engaging said loops and provided with means bearing upon the outer' glass section to insure constant pressure ot' the outer glass section against the inner glass section an advertising exhibit between the two glass sections and rictionally engaged by them, and a molding covering said cleats and cleat retaining loops.

2. A display sign comprising a main trame, an auxiliary frame having a rabbet and secured in the main trame adjacent its forward margin, a pair of glass sections engaging said rabbet, longitudinal cleats carrying blocks bearing upon the margin of one or' the glass sections to insure pressure between it and the other glass section, an advertising exhibit between and rictionally engaged by said glass sections, means on the ends ot the auxiliary trame for the reception or said cleats to retain them Ain position, and a molding covering the cleats.

3. A display sign comprising a main frame, an auxiliary frame having a rabbet and secured inthe main trame adjacent its i'orward margin, a pair of glass sections engaging said rabbet, longitudinal cleats earrying blocks bearing upon the margin of one of the glass sections to insure pressure between it and the other glass section, an advertising exhibit between and rictionally engaged by said glass sections, outstanding loops carrie-d by the auxiliary frame for the reception of the ends ot the cleats, devices engaging between the outer portions of the loops 4and the ends of the cleats to insure constant pressure upon the glass sections, and a molding covering the cleats.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

FRED A. LUND. 

